Sewing machine material feed mechanism

ABSTRACT

A sewing machine installation for sewing a shirt front box hem having material handling apparatus for forming the shirt front box hem and a material feed mechanism with a first entry conveyor belt system with a pair of cooperating overlying and underlying entry belt conveyors for feeding the shirt front forwardly through the material handling apparatus and a stitching station to a shearing station, a second overlying exit conveyor belt system which cooperates with the underlying entry belt conveyor and a low-pressure backup plenum for feeding the shirt front forwardly from the shearing station and carrying it to a stacking station and a feed roll for assisting in feeding the shirt front through the stitching station to the shearing station. The exit conveyor belt system and feed roll are driven fastener than the entry conveyor belt system for compensating for different effective material feed rates and for assisting in properly feeding the material through the stitching and shearing stations and preventing material distortion as it is fed forwardly through those stations and carried to the stacking station.

United States Patent [191 Rockerath et al.

[451 Mar. 18,1975

1 1 SEWING MACHINE MATERIAL FEED MECHANISM [75] Inventors: John L. Rockerath; Harold J.

Schreck, both of Utica, NY.

[73] Assignee: Jetsew, Inc., Barneveld, NY.

[22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 427,904

[52] [1.5. CI. 112/203 [51] Int. Cl. D05b 19/00, D05b 27/00 [58] Field of Search ..112/2,121.11,121.15, 112/121.26, 121.29, 203, 208, 212, 214,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,296,931 9/1942 Joa 112/2 2,411,637 11/1946 Ramage, Jr. 112/117 X 3,204,590 9/1965 Rockerath et a1. 112/114 X 3,669,441 6/1972 Minasian 112/l2l.11 UX 3,669,443 6/1972 Noiles ll2/l21.ll X

Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Prutzman, Hayes, Kalb & Chilton Y 0 0 0 a 75 t 1?otW///I////////////m@1mm ;;;,to.W//////////////,,

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[57 ABSTRACT A sewing machine installation for sewing a shirt front box hem having material handling apparatus for forming the shirt front box hem and a material feed mechanism with a first entry conveyor belt system with a pair of cooperating overlying and underlying entry belt conveyors for feeding the shirt front forwardly through the material handling apparatus and a stitching station to a shearing station, a second overlying exit conveyor belt system which cooperates with the underlying entry belt conveyor and a low-pressure backup plenum for feeding the shirt front forwardly from the shearing station and carrying it to a stacking station and a feed roll for assisting in feeding the shirt front through the stitching station to the shearing station. The exit conveyor belt system and feed roll are driven fastener than the entry conveyor belt system for compensating for different effective material feed rates and for assisting in properly feeding the material through the stitching and shearing stations and preventing material distortion as it is fed forwardly through those stations and carried to the stacking statlon.

17 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures mum: v

SEWING MACHINE MATERIAL FEED MECHANISM BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to sewing machine material feed mechanisms and more particularly to a new and improved material feed mechanism.

It is a primary aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved sewing machine material feed mechanism having notable utility with material folding or other material handling apparatus which preassemble the material to be sewn and employing an overlying vacuum transfer exit conveyor system carrying the completed product to a stacking station.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved sewing machine material feed mechanism useful with double-knit and other stretch fabrics.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved sewing machine material conveyor system for conveying material through material handling, stitching and shearing stations of a sewing machine to a stacking station.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved sewing machine material conveyor system for use in a shirt front box hem sewing machine installation.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part point out more detailed hereinafter.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of illustrative applications of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view, partly broken away, of a sewing machine installation for sewing shirt front box hems and employing an embodiment of a material feed mechanism incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the sewing machine installation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse section view, partly broken away and partly in section, showing the configuration of a shirt front box hem of the type produced with the sewing machine installation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial front elevation view, partly broken away, showing a modified entry conveyor system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view, partly broken away, showing the modified entry conveyor system; and,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view, partly broken away and partly in section, showing a feed wheel mechanism of the modified entry conveyor system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, and referring in particular to FIGS. 1-3, a sewing machine installation 8 incorporating an embodiment of a material feed mechanism of the present invention is shown comprising a material support table 12 for supporting material as it is being fed, from right to left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, for being stitched at a stitching station 13 by a sewing machine head 14 and for being sheared at a shearing station 15 by a cutter 16. The sewing machine installation 8 is shown employed for stitching a box front hem or pleat 17 (shown in section in FIG. 3) if a man s shirt front 5 and employs conventional material handling apparatus 18 for prefolding and preassembling the components of the shirt front 5. More particularly, the material handling apparatus 18 provides for prefolding an inner edge 20 of a precut shirt front blank 6 downwardly and outwardly around a liner or stiffener 22 and prefolded an outwardly spaced section 23 of the shirt front blank 6 downwardly and inwardly around the outer edge of the liner 22 and inner edge 20 and guiding the preassembled and prefolded liner 22 and shirt blank 6 together to be stitched at the stitching station 13. In a conventional manner, the liner 22 is fed to the folding apparatus 18 from a roll 24, and the shirt front blank 6 is manually positioned on the table 12 to be automatically fed as hereinafter described through the folding apparatus 18, stitching station 13 and shearing station 1 5.

The sewing machine head 14 incorporates a needle bar 26 with a pair of laterally spaced needles 27 (FIG. 3) for stitching both edges of the box front hem 17. Thus, to form a shirt front 5, a precut shirt front blank 6 is placed on the table 12 and a treadle operated machine drive motor is then energized to automatically feed the shirt front blank 6 and liner 22 together through (a) the folding apparatus 18 to prefold the box hem 17, (b) the stitching station 13 to stitch the box front hem 17 along its lateral edges, and (c) the shearing station 15 to properly shear the leading and trailing edges of the stitched box front hem. A box front hem 17 is shown in section in FIG. 3 to illustrate how to precut shirt front blank 6 and liner 22 are first folded and then stitched together.

The cutter 16 employed at the shearing station is preferably of the type described in US. Pat. No. 3,763,800 dated Oct. 9, 1973 and entitled Retractable Sewing Machine Cutting Mechanism and as explained in detail in that patent provides for accurately severing the leading and trailing edges of the shirt box front hem.

The sewing machine material feed mechanism of the present invention provides for feeding the shirt front through the folding apparatus 18, stitching station 13, and shearing station 15 to a stacking station 28. The material feed mechanism comprises an entry conveyor system 30 having upper and lower belt conveyors 31, 32 with three laterally spaced pairs 38, 40 of cooperating upper conveyor belts 41 and lower conveyor belts 42, 43 engageable along a plane slightly above the table 12 and cooperable for advancing the material along the table. The three upper conveyor belts 41 follow the same path, whereas the two lower conveyor belts 42 cooperate with thee upper belts 41 to feed the material from a point intermediate the folding apparatus 18 and sewing machine head 14. The lower conveyor belt 43 provides for assisting in feeding material from the entry end of the table 12 and cooperates with the corresponding upper center conveyor belt 41 to assist in feeding the material to the folding appartus 18. Also, the lower connveyor belt 43 passes below the folding apparatus 18 and re-engages the upper center conveyor belt 41 prior to the sewing machine head 14 to further assist in conveying the material through the stitching station. The lower belt conveyor 32 also comprises four additional outer conveyor belts 44 which provides for conveying the body of the shirt front blank 6 along the table 12, it being seen that the pairs, 38, 40 of conveyor belts are located to engage the box front hem of material to ensure that the box front hem is positively conveyed along the table. The paths of the pairs 38 of cooperating conveyor belts are positioned immediately laterally outwardly of the two laterally spaced sewing machine needles 27 and the path of the center pair 40 of conveyor belts is located centrally between the needles 27 and such that the three pairs 38, 40 of conveyor belts do not interfere with the stitching operation of the sewing machine head 14.

An exit overlying conveyor system 52 is employed for assisting in conveying the shirt blanks through the cutting and stitching stations to the stacking station 28 where they are automatically released to be stacked in a suitable hopper (not shown). The exit conveyor system 52 has a pair of inner conveyor belts 54, 55 mounted in general alignment with the two inner conveyor belts 42, 43 of the forward underlying belt conveyor 32 and cooperate with those conveyor belts just forwardly of the cutting station to assist in conveying the shirt front box hem l7 forwardly from the cutting station. The exit conveyor system 52 also comprises a pair of outer conveyor belts 56 which cooperate with the outermost and third outermost underlying conveyor belts 44 of the entry conveyor system and likewise cooperate with those conveyor belts 44 to convey the body of the stitched shirt blank forwardly from the cutting station.

The three exit overlying conveyor belts 54, 56 cooperate with corresponding elongated low-pressure air plenums 100 and are perforated to provide for vacuum transfer of the completed shirt blanks 6 to a suitable hopper (not shown). The low-pressure air plenums 100 are interconnected by conduits 102 (FIG. 2) and by a main conduit 103 to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown) for maintaining a partial vacuum in the air plenums 100. As best shown in FIG. 2, the elongated low-pressure air plenums 100 have a lower enlongated slot covered by the respective conveyor belt 54, 56 such that the partial vacuum in the low-pressure plenums 100 is applied through the apertures in the conveyor belts 54, 56 for carrying the completed shirt blanks from the table 12 to the hopper (not shown). A butterfly valve (not shown) in the main conduit 103 is suitably timely operated by a pneumatic cylinder 105 to momentarily close the main conduitand thereby timely release each shirt blank to fall into the hopper.

The aforementioned conveyor belts 41-44 and 54-56 are supported on suitable rollers 50 rotatably mounted on parallel support shafts for guiding the endless conveyor belts around their circuitous paths. The circuitous belt paths are provided in part to provide upper and lower belt separation of the pairs 38, 40 of cooperating belts 41-43 prior to the cutting station 15. Also, the path of the underlying entry conveyor belts 42, 43 is such that they reengage the exit overlying conveyor belts 54, 55 of the exit conveyor system 52 forwardly of the cutting station 15 to assist in conveying the shirt fronts forwardly from the cutting station.

A drive roll conveyor 66 is provided immediately before the cutting station 15 forwardly of and in alignment with the entry belt conveyors 3840. The roll conveyor 66 comprises an underlying elongated drive roll 67 and an overlying elongated backup roll 68 pivotally mounted by support bracket 69 and biased downwardly for cooperation with the drive roll 67 by a leaf spring 70. The elongated drive and backup rolls 67, 68

are mounted in alignment with belt conveyors 38-40 to initially engage the liner 22 and then engage the stitched box hem 17 of the shirt blank to assist in feeding the shirt blank forwardly from the stitching station 13 and through the cutting station 15.

The upper and lower entry conveyor belts 41-43 are driven together by the treadle operated motor via parallel drive shafts 83, 84 and knurled drive rolls or wheels 85 fixed onto the shafts 83, 84. The shafts 83, 84 are connected to the motor 80 via drive or timing belts 86, 87, 88 and pulleys 89-93 to be driven at the same angular velocity. The knurled drive wheels 85 mounted on shafts 83, 84 provided for driving all the entry conveyor blets 41-44 preferably at substantially the same linear speed.

The innermost pair of overlying exit conveyor belts 54, 55 are driven by knurled drive wheels 94 fixed onto an intermediate drive shaft 95 (which rotatably supports the intermediate pulleys 91, 92 for the timing belts 87, 88), and a belt drive system 96 which connects the intermediate drive shaft 95 with the forward overlying belt drive shaft 84. The remaining exit conveyor belts 56 of the exit belt conveyor system 52 are driven at substantially the same linear speed as the conveyor belts 54, 55 via a drive shaft 97 and knurled wheels 98 fixed onto shaft 97, the innermost conveyor belts 54, 55 providing for driving the drive shaft 97 and remaining exit conveyor belts 56 through corresponding knurled wheels 98.

As seen in FIG. 1, the conveyor belt guide rollers 50 are mounted so that the conveyor belts engage a substantial peripheral portion of the knurled drive wheels 85, 94. Also, the conveyor belts are elastic and are mounted in a slightly stretched condition to firmly engage the knurled drive wheels 85 to eliminate any belt slippage.

The sewing machine head 14 is also connected to the treadle operated motor 80 by a suitable drive belt system 104 and such that the sewing machine head 14 and the exit and entry conveyor systems are simultaneously driven at coordinated speeds.

Referring to FIG. 2, the underlying drive roll 67 of the roll conveyor 66 is driven by the treadle operated motor 80 via the drive shaft 83, a suitable drive belt system 108 and a transmission 110 having an output shaft parallel to the drive shaft 112 of the drive roll 67 and connected thereto by a shaft 114 and universal joints 116. The transmission 110 is of the type which is infinitely adjustable within a given drive ratio range and such that the peripheral speed of the drive roll 67 can be accurately adjusted with the transmission 110 in accordance with the linear speed of the entry conveyor system.

A sewing machine installation 200 incorporating another embodiment of a material feed mechanism of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4-6. The installation 200 is like that described with reference to FIGS. 1-3 excepting that the entry conveyor system 30 employs only two upper laterally spaced conveyor belts 41, a pair of laterally spaced lower conveyor belts 42, 43 cooperating therewith and a different drive roll conveyor 210 mounted forwardly of the very close to the stitching station 13 and between the laterally spaced cooperating conveyor belts.

The two upper conveyor belts 41 are positioned immediately laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly of the two laterally spaced sewing machine needles 27 (and clear of any interference with the stitching operation of the sewing machine head 14) for engagement with the lateral edges of the shirt box front hem 17. For example, where the box front hem 17 has a width of 1 tinch, each pair of upper and lower conveyor belts 41, 42 and 41, 43 would engage approximately 5/16 inch of the lateral edge of the box frong hem l7 and there would be a space of approximately 5/8 inch between the pairs of cooperating conveyor belts.

The outer lower conveyor belt 42 is mounted in vertical alignment and engagement with the outer overlying conveyor belt 41, whereas although the forward end of the inner lower conveyor belt 43 is mounted in vertical alignment and engagement with the inner overlying conveyor belt 41, the entry end of the inner lower conveyor belt 43 is mounted laterally intermediate the overlying conveyor belts 41. Thus, the entry end of the inner lower conveyor belt 43 is mounted to fully underlie the material for assisting in feeding the material from the entry end of the table. The inner lower conveyor belt 43 is laterally inwardly shifted from its entry end to its forward end as it is driven forwardly underneath the material folding apparatus 18 by a vertically extending roller 214 suitably mounted beneath the material folding apparatus 18. The endless conveyor belt 43 is returned from its forward end to its entry end at a slight angle providing for laterally shifting the conveyor belt 43 back to its entry intermediate position. Thus, the single conveyor belt 43 is employed both initially to effectively assist in conveying the shirt front blanks from the entry end of the table to the apparatus 18 and then combine with the inner overlying conveyor belt 41 to assist in conveying the material through the stitching station. Also, the inner conveyor belt 54 of the exit conveyor system is preferably mounted in general alignment and cooperative engagement with the forward end of the inner underlying conveyor belt 43 to assist in conveying the shirt front box hem 17 forwardly from the cutting station.

The drive roll conveyor 210 comprises a wide cylindrical drive roll 216 having for example a slightly resilient relatively hard rubber peripheral drive surface. The drive roll 216 preferably has a width approximately equal to the lateral opening between the cooperating pairs of conveyor belts 41, 42 and 41, 43 but slightly less than that lateral opening to avoid interference with those conveyor belts 4l-43. The drive roll 216 is mounted immediately forwardly of the stitching station to engage the liner 22 initially and then the stitched shirt front box hem 17 to assist in conveying the liner and front box hem forwardly from the stitching station 13 and through the cutting station 15. The drive roll 216 preferably laterally overlaps the laterally spaced needles 27 such that the drive roll 216 engages substantially all of the available material between the conveyor belts 41 including the lines of stitching to provide effective conveyance of the material with the drive roll 216.

The drive roll 216 has a drive shaft 218 which is driven by the treadle operated motor 80 in the manner described with respect to the drive roll 67 and such that the peripheral speed of the drive roll 216 can be accurately adjusted with the transmission 110 in accordance with the linear speed of the entry conveyor system 30.

The roll drive shaft 218 is retatably mounted on a support 220 pivotally adjustable on a block 222. The block 222 is reciprocably mounted on a fixed depending pin 229 and a fixed depending aligning member 230 and is biased downwardly by a compression spring 232 to press the roll 216 into effective driving engagement with the material (it being seen that the table 12 supports the material for driving engagement by the drive roll 216) and to permit the drive roll 216 to accommodate different material thickness as the liner 22 and stitched box front hem 17 are fed forwardly by the drive roll 216. The support 220 is mounted on the block 222 by fasteners 234, 236 to permit limited pivotal adjustment of the drive roll axis to ensure effective engagement of the entire cylindrical surface of the drive roll 216 with the material. For that purpose, one of the support fasteners 234 functions as a pivot and the support 220 has a vertical slot 235 for deceiving the other support fastener 236 whereby the drive roll axis can be adjusted by loosening the fasteners 234, 236, pivotally adjusting the support 220 about the fastener 234 and retightening the fasteners.

It has been found that where material is fed through some form of material handling apparatus such as the folding device 18 and/or different materials are employed, a portion or portions of the workpiece material may be distorted slightly due to the differential drag on the workpiece material by the material handling apparatus and/or be conveyed at a different effective rate by the conveyor system such that, for example, an imper fectly stitched hem with material puckering or other imperfections may result. In accordance with the present invention, such imperfections are prevented by driving the entry conveyor system 30, roll conveyor 66, 210 and exit conveyor system 52 with slightspeed differentials and with the roll conveyor 66, 210 and exit conveyor system 52 driven to feed the material at a slightly higher speed than the entry conveyor system 30. (Also, in some applications, for example where the shirt box front hem is to be formed with a ruffle optimum results may be provided by driving the roll conveyor 66, 210 to feed the material at a slightly lower speed than the entry conveyor system 30 while at the same time driving the exit conveyor system 52 to feed the material at a slightly higher speed than the entry conveyor system 30.) It has been found that such a differential speed conveyance of the material provides for preventing such stitching imperfections even though the roll conveyor 66, 210 is located forwardly of the stitching station 13. The proper speed differentials will depend upon the material used, the type of folding apparatus employed for folding the material and the amount the material is folded and the type of material employed in any stiffener. And, it has been found that the optimum speed differential is best achieved by experimentation, starting for example with approximately a 2 percent speed differential. Thus, for example, the roll conveyor speed can be initially set to provide a 2 percent differential and then changed with the infinitely adjustable transmission until optimum results are achieved.

Also, it has been found that such a differentially driven material conveyor system provides an appropriately stitched shirt blank without imperfections even though part of the problem is due to the differential drag on the shirt blank 6 from the folding apparatus 18 and the possible differential rate of conveyance of the folded portion of the shirt blank 6 and stiffener 22 resulting from the greater stiffness of the stiffener 22. Thus, it has been found that a properly stitched shirt box hem can be produced by driving the roll conveyor 66 or 210 to feed the material at a rate different than the entry conveyor system 30 and typically approximately 2 to 5 percent greater than the rate of the entry conveyor system 30.

Also, it has been found desirable to operate the exit conveyor system 52 at a speed slightly greater than the speed of the entry conveyor system to avoid material puckering along the exit conveyor belts which would eliminate or minimize the effectiveness of the material vacuum carry system provided by the exit conveyor system 52. For this purpose, an adjustable variable diameter pulley 120 is provided in the drive belt system 96 such that the linear speed of the exit conveyor belts 54-56 can be adjusted independently of the linear speed of the entry conveyor belts 41-43. The adjustable pulley 120 may for example be the type having a pair of separate pulley halves which may be relatively axially adjusted to vary the effective pitch diameter of the pulley and thereby vary the drive ratio of the pulley system 96 and the linear speed of the exit belt conveyors relative to the entry belt conveyors. Also, an idler belt tightening roll 122 is mounted for engagement with the drive belt 124 of the drive belt system 96 and is suitably mounted to be adjusted for maintaining proper tension on the drive belt 124.

It has been found that the optimum differential speed of the entry and exit conveyor systems is generally about 2 to 5 percent but may vary somewhat depending primarily upon the type of material used. Where relatively elastic materials are used such as the currently popular double-knit material, the differential speed may exceed 5 percent in order to prevent material puckering and resulting ineffectiveness of the vacuum transfer system. And, it has been found that the provision of an increased exit conveyor speed provides for solving the problems previously attendant with the transfer of double-knit and other elastic materials with a vacuum transfer system.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing speciffic disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

We claim:

1. ln a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through material handling, stitching and cutting stations to a material stacking station, a sewing machine head for stitching the material at the stitching station, a cutting device for cutting the stitched material at the cutting station, and material handling apparatus for handling the material in a predetermined was as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the material handling station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises an entry conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the material handling and stitching stations to the cutting station, an exit conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the cutting station to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together and with the exit conveyor system driven to provide a slightly higher material rate of conveyance to place the material under slight tension as it is conveyed forwardly from the cutting station by the exit conveyor system.

2. A sewing machine installation according to claim 1 wherein the entry conveyor system comprises overlying and underlying belt conveyors relative to the material path and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path and wherein the exit conveyor system comprises an overlying belt conveyor relative to the material path and driven by the drive means which cooperates with the forward end of the underlying belt conveyor of the entry conveyor system for forwardly feeding the material therefrom.

3. A sewing machine installation accroding to claim 2 wherein the exit overlying belt conveyor comprises a plurality of apertured overlying conveyor belts relative to the material path and wherein the exit conveyor system comprises low air-pressure plenum means cooperative with the apertured belt conveyors to pneumatically forwardly carry the material along the material path from a point forwardly of the cutting station to the stacking station with said apertured overlying conveyor belts.

4. In a sewing machine installation according to claim 2 wherein the drive means comprises an adjustable belt drive system for at least one of the conveyor systems comprising at least one variable pitch belt drive pulley adjustable to vary the effective pitch diameter of the pulley.

5. A sewing machine installation according to claim 2 wherein the entry conveyor system comprises conveyor belt guide means for guiding the overlying and underlying endless belts around a circuitous path providing for separation of the overlying and underlying belts from the material path at a point intermediate the stitching and cutting station, and roll feed means forwardly of said intermediate point and adjacent the cutting station for assisting the conveying the material forwardly through said cutting station.

6. A sewing machine installation according to claim 5 wherein the roll feed means comprises cooperating drive and backup rolls for conveying the material therebetween and wherein the drive means is connected for driving the drive roll in synchronism with the entry and exit conveyor systems.

7. A sewing machine installation according to claim 6 wherein the drive means is connected to drive the drive roll to provide a slightly higher material rate of conveyance than the entry belt conveyors.

8. A sewing machine installation according to claim 2 wherein the sewing machine head has a pair of laterally spaced stitching needles at the stitching station for stitching the material along two laterally spaced lines as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, wherein the overlying and underlying belt conveyors comprise two laterally spaced pairs of overlying and underlying entry conveyor belts relative to the material path on opposite sides of the laterally spaced stitching needles laterally outside thereof and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station, and wherein the material conveyance means comprises a rotary drive roll adjacent the stitching station connected to be driven by the drive means and axially extending substantially between said pairs of conveyor belts to engage substantially the entire material therebetween for assisting in conveying the material forwardly through the stitching station.

9. A sewing machine installation according to claim 8 wherein the drive means is connected to drive the rotary drive roll at a slightly higher material rate of conveyance than said pairs of entry conveyor belts.

10. In a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through material handling and stitching stations to a material stacking station, a sewing machine head having a pairof laterally spaced stitching needles for stitching the material along two laterally spaced lines as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, and material handling apparatus for handling the material in a predetermined was as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the material handling station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises an entry belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the material handling and stitching stations, a separate exit belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the entry conveyor system to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together, the entry belt conveyor system comprising two laterally spaced pairs of overlying and underlying entry conveyor belts relative to the material path on opposite sides of the laterally spaced needles laterally outside thereof and driven together by the drive meansfor forwardly conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station, and roll feed means comprising a rotary drive roll mounted adjacent the stitching station and connected to be driven by the drive means and axially extending substantially between the laterally spaced pairs of belt conveyors to engage substantially the entire material therebetween for assisting in conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, the drive means being connected to drive the drive roll at a slightly different material rate of conveyance than said pairs of entry conveyor belts.

11. A sewing machine installation according to claim 10 wherein the drive means is connected to drive the drive roll at a slightly higher material rate of conveyance than said pairs of entry conveyor belts.

12. A sewing machine installation according to claim 10 wherein the roll feed means comprises drive roll mounting means adjustable for adjusting the angle of the drive roll axis in a plane generally normal to the material path at the drive roll for adjusting the effective engagement of the drive roll with the material.

13. In a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through material handling and stitching stations to a material stacking station, a sewing machine head for stitching the material as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, and material handling apparatus for handling the material in a predetermined way as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the material handling station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises an entry belt conveyor ststem for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the material handling and stitching stations, a separate exit belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the entry belt conveyor system to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together at coordinated material conveyance rates, the entry conveyor system comprising laterally spaced pairs of overlying and underlying entry conveyor belts relative to the material path driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station, the pairs of overlying and underlying conveyor belts comprising first and second laterally spaced overlying endless conveyor belts and first and second late rally spaced underlying endless conveyor belts cooperating therewith respectively, and roll means supporting the overlying and undrelying endless conveyor belts for feeding the conveyor belts of each pair into alignment and engagement for conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station; the roll means providing for feeding an entry portion of at least one of the underlying conveyor belts forwardly along the material path to a first point rearwardly of the material handling station to assist in conveying the material to the material handling station, an intermediate portion of said one conveyor belt forwardly below the material path at the material handling station, and a forward portion of said one conveyor belt along the material path from a point intermediate the material handling and stitching through the stitching station and in general alignment and engagement with the respective overlying conveyor belt for assisting in conveying the material through the stitching station.

14. A sewing machine installation according to claim 12 wherein the sewing machine head has a pair of laterally spaced needles for stitching the material along two laterally spaced lines as it is conveyed through the stitching station, wherein the pairs of conveyor belts pass on opposite sides of the laterally spaced stitching needles laterally outside thereof, and wherein said roll means provides for feeding the entry portion of said one conveyor, belt forwardly to said first point along a first path generally laterally intermediated the laterally spaced needles and for feeding said forward portion of said one conveyor belt along a second path in general alignment and engagement with the respective overlying conveyor belt and laterally offset from said first path.

15. A sewing machine installation according to claim 13 wherein the roll means comprises a vertically extending roll beneath the material-handling station engageable with said one conveyor belt to laterally shift it from its said first path to its said second path.

16. In a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through a stitching station to a material stacking station, and a sewing machine head for stitching the material as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises a first entry belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, a second separate exit belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the entry conveyor system to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together, the entry conveyor system comprising overlying and underlying belt conveyors relative to the material path and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path and the exit conveyor system comprising an overentry and exit conveyor systems together and with the exit conveyor system driven to provide provide a slightly higher material rate of conveyance to place the material under slight tension as it is conveyed forwardly thereby from the entry conveyor system. 

1. In a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through material handling, stitching and cutting stations to a material stacking station, a sewing machine head for stitching the material at the stitching station, a cutting device for cutting the stitched material at the cutting station, and material handling apparatus for handling the material in a predetermined was as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the material handling station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises an entry conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the material handling and stitching stations to the cutting station, an exit conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the cutting station to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together and with the exit conveyor system driven to provide a slightly higher material rate of conveyance to place the material under slight tension as it is conveyed forwardly from the cutting station by the exit conveyor system.
 2. A sewing machine installation according to claim 1 wherein the entry conveyor system comprises overlying and underlying belt conveyors relative to the material path and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path and wherein the exit conveyor system comprises an overlying belt conveyor relative to the material path and driven by the drive means which cooperates with the forward end of the underlying belt conveyor of the entry conveyor system for forwardly feeding the material therefrom.
 3. A sewing machine installation accroding to claim 2 wherein the exit overlying belt conveyor comprises a plurality of apertured overlying conveyor belts relative to the material path and wherein the exit conveyor system comprises low air-pressure plenum means cooperative with the apertured belt conveyors to pneumatically forwardly carry the material along the material path from a point forwardly of the cutting station to the stacking station with said apertured overlying conveyor belts.
 4. In a sewing machine installation according to claim 2 wherein the drive means comprises an adjustable belt drive system for at least one of the conveyor systems comprising at least one variable pitch belt drive pulley adjustable to vary the effective pitch diameter of the pulley.
 5. A sewing machine installation according to claim 2 wherein the entry conveyor system comprises conveyor belt guide means for guiding the overlying and underlying endless belts around a circuitous path providing for separation of the overlying and underlying belts from the material path at a point intermediate the stitching and cutting station, and roll feed means forwardly of said intermediate point and adjacent the cutting station for assisting the conveying the material forwardly through said cutting station.
 6. A sewing machine installation according to claim 5 wherein the roll feed means comprises cooperating drive and backup rolls for conveying the material therebetween and wherein the drive means is connected for driving the drive roll in synchronism with the entry and exit conveyor systems.
 7. A sewing machine installation according to claim 6 wherein the drive means is connected to drive the drive roll to provide a slightly higher material rate of conveyance than the entry belt conveyors.
 8. A sewing machine installation according to claim 2 wherein the sewing machine head has a pair of laterally spaced stitching needles at the stitching station for stitching the material along two laterally spaced lines as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, wherein the overlying and underlying belt conveyors comprise two laterally spaced pairs of overlying and underlying entry conveyor belts relative to the material path on opposite sides of the laterally spaced stitching needles laterally outside thereof and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station, and wherein the material conveyance means comprises a rotary drive roll adjacent the stitching station connected to be driven by the drive means and axially extending substantially between said pairs of conveyor belts to engage substantially the entire material therebetween for assisting in conveying the material forwardly through the stitching station.
 9. A sewing machine installation according to claim 8 wherein the drive means is connected to drive the rotary drive roll at a slightly higher material rate of conveyance than said pairs of entry conveyor belts.
 10. In a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through material handling and stitching stations to a material stacking station, a sewing machine head having a pair of laterally spaced stitching needles for stitching the material along two laterally spaced lines as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, and material handling apparatus for handling the material in a predetermined was as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the material handling station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises an entry belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the material handling and stitching stations, a separate exit belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the entry conveyor system to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together, the entry belt conveyor system comprising two laterally spaced pairs of overlying and underlying entry conveyor belts relative to the material path on opposite sides of the laterally spaced needles laterally outside thereof and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station, and roll feed means comprising a rotary drive roll mounted adjacent the stitching station and connected to be driven by the drive means and axially extending substantially between the laterally spaced pairs of belt conveyors to engage substantially the entire material therebetween for assisting in conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, the drive means being connected to drive the drive roll at a slightly different material rate of conveyance than said pairs of entry conveyor belts.
 11. A sewing machine installation according to claim 10 wherein the drive means is connected to drive the drive roll at a slightly higher material rate of conveyance than said pairs of entry conveyor belts.
 12. A sewing machine installation according to claim 10 wherein the roll feed means comprises drive roll mounting means adjustable for adjusting the angle of the drive roll axis in a plane generally normal to the material path at the drive roll for adjusting the effective engagement of the drive roll with the material.
 13. In a sEwing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through material handling and stitching stations to a material stacking station, a sewing machine head for stitching the material as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, and material handling apparatus for handling the material in a predetermined way as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the material handling station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises an entry belt conveyor ststem for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the material handling and stitching stations, a separate exit belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the entry belt conveyor system to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together at coordinated material conveyance rates, the entry conveyor system comprising laterally spaced pairs of overlying and underlying entry conveyor belts relative to the material path driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station, the pairs of overlying and underlying conveyor belts comprising first and second laterally spaced overlying endless conveyor belts and first and second laterally spaced underlying endless conveyor belts cooperating therewith respectively, and roll means supporting the overlying and undrelying endless conveyor belts for feeding the conveyor belts of each pair into alignment and engagement for conveying the material along the material path through the stitching station; the roll means providing for feeding an entry portion of at least one of the underlying conveyor belts forwardly along the material path to a first point rearwardly of the material handling station to assist in conveying the material to the material handling station, an intermediate portion of said one conveyor belt forwardly below the material path at the material handling station, and a forward portion of said one conveyor belt along the material path from a point intermediate the material handling and stitching through the stitching station and in general alignment and engagement with the respective overlying conveyor belt for assisting in conveying the material through the stitching station.
 14. A sewing machine installation according to claim 12 wherein the sewing machine head has a pair of laterally spaced needles for stitching the material along two laterally spaced lines as it is conveyed through the stitching station, wherein the pairs of conveyor belts pass on opposite sides of the laterally spaced stitching needles laterally outside thereof, and wherein said roll means provides for feeding the entry portion of said one conveyor belt forwardly to said first point along a first path generally laterally intermediated the laterally spaced needles and for feeding said forward portion of said one conveyor belt along a second path in general alignment and engagement with the respective overlying conveyor belt and laterally offset from said first path.
 15. A sewing machine installation according to claim 13 wherein the roll means comprises a vertically extending roll beneath the material handling station engageable with said one conveyor belt to laterally shift it from its said first path to its said second path.
 16. In a sewing machine installation having material conveyance means for conveying material forwardly along a predetermined material path through a stitching station to a material stacking station, and a sewing machine head for stitching the material as it is conveyed forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, the improvement wherein the material conveyance means comprises a first entry belt conveyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path through the stitching station, a second separate exit belt convEyor system for conveying the material forwardly along the material path from the entry conveyor system to the stacking station, and drive means for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together, the entry conveyor system comprising overlying and underlying belt conveyors relative to the material path and driven together by the drive means for forwardly conveying the material along the material path and the exit conveyor system comprising an overlying belt conveyor relative to the material path and driven by the drive means and cooperating with the forward end of the underlying belt conveyor of the entry conveyor system for forwardly feeding the material therefrom to the stacking station.
 17. A sewing installation according to claim 15 wherein the drive means is connected for driving the entry and exit conveyor systems together and with the exit conveyor system driven to provide provide a slightly higher material rate of conveyance to place the material under slight tension as it is conveyed forwardly thereby from the entry conveyor system. 